


Ambushed

by roseprice612



Series: humanity is for robots, too [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Connor Deserves Happiness, Connor feels pain AU, Father-Son Relationship, No shipping again! Just wholesome families, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 19:20:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14858732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseprice612/pseuds/roseprice612
Summary: Connor gets ambushed by some thugs, seeks refuge with “friends”, and still doesn’t really understand the concept of emotion.(He also hates Amanda a whole lot more for deciding to make him feel pain)





	Ambushed

Number one bad outcome of the Android Revolution: the prejudice.

This is obvious. But Connor didn't know it would be so... prevalent. It was everywhere. _Everywhere_. Walking Sumo down the street, taking the bus downtown, in stores. Even stranger than the prejudice from humans to androids was the prejudice from androids to other androids.

It made no logical sense to Connor. He didn't understand it. Yes, he probably deserved it - having been created to find and take down deviants - but he didn't see their reasoning behind it.

He'd been walking down the street after getting fruit at the supermarket (he'd started a stricter diet for Hank, much to the human's dismay), groceries in hand. He wasn't even wearing anything that would scream "I'm an Android"; a pair of jeans covered his legs, thick boots on his feet, and a large winter jacket Hank had bought him was pulled around his shoulders. Sure, he'd never taken the LED out from his temple, but he didn't want to. It reminded him that he was different, and it was comfortable. He knew he would only feel deceitful taking it out, looking fully human. Even if it had become commonplace for Androids to remove their LEDs.

"Hey!" A voice shouted behind him. It was dark out, but Connor hadn't felt any discomfort. "Stop right there!"

Connor expected humans when he turned, but immediately he was able to identify and analyze them as Androids. There were three of them, but they were older models and Connor could take them easily. He turned to keep walking, knowing Hank's house was just around the corner, but one of them grabbed his arm and yanked.

"If you wouldn't mind, I am due at my home." Connor asked. The Androids laughed in his face. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah, there is." One of them, an Android originally purposed for roadwork, pushed him back. "You. You hate Androids or somethin', don't you?"

"I do not." Connor felt like rolling his eyes, as he'd seen Hank do when he was irritated. "Why would you assume that?"

A second Android, also a road worker model, tapped Connor's flashing yellow LED. "'Cause of this."

Connor knew what they meant in an instant, but unease grew in his chest and hands and he found himself stepping backwards. Was this nervousness? "I simply did not wish to remove it. That does not mean I hate Androids."

"Don't it?" The first one growled. He glanced back at his buddies. "What do you say we teach him something about being a true Android?"

The three of them went after Connor all at once, and that feeling took over him again. The one where his chest tightened and he felt a scream threatening to crawl out of his throat. Was it called fear? Subconsciously, Connor made a note to add that one to the pad - fear=bad.

The first Android grabbed his shoulder and shoved him hard against the wall behind them, startling Connor and forcing the grocery bags out of his hands. A second Android body slammed him further against the wall, nearly breaking his wrist component, and the third slammed his head against the brick. Connor's vision blurred. That third Android's hand against the side of his head hurt, and even on top of Connor not being used to pain, he could feel the presence and memory of the other Android. He remembered dying the past few times, feeling the life leaving his plastic body, and a desperation filled him.

"What- do you think you're- you're doing?" Connor wasn't used to stumbling over his words, either, and smirked even against the pain and fear. He could see the simulated possibilities to incapacitate these Androids, the easiest ways to escape, but Connor doubted he could manage to actually complete more than three of the options in his daze. Besides, Markus was always lecturing him on being pacifist, not harming Android or human. At that moment Connor wished he had the courage to go against Markus' words.

"Taking out that LED ourselves, obviously." The Android holding his head against the wall was smirking, and one of his friends flicked out a knife. Connor's stomach dropped. "Now hold still."

That was the last thing he'd do. Connor decided he had no choice but to attempt one of the simulations, seeing the knife out of the corner of his eye and becoming desperate. He kicked out the knees of the Android holding him, head-butted the one with the knife, and pile-drived the last one. They stumbled around for a moment, surprised, and Connor went to grab the groceries and run. They better not have crushed the strawberries.

"I don't think so!" The Android with the knife took advantage of his weapon and threw it. The blade stuck deep between Connor's shoulder blades, but he didn't stop his running. He didn't have to hurt these Androids. Maybe they'd hurt him, but... that was the point of pacifism, wasn't it?

He couldn't hold out that long. One of the offenders took him down, the food spreading far across the road. There was no one around to help him. He simulated one-hundred-and-three more simulations, and decided on one. He kneed the Android over him, got to his feet shakily, sucker punched the next Android, and slammed the last one against the wall. His own blue blood was dashed against where his head had hit. Only a few thoughts crashed through his mind then; he'd need to run to the Android Rights base, that church they'd stayed in the night after Jericho's destruction. Leading those thugs back to Hank's home would be a bad idea, and Markus could fend them off better anyway.

The path to the base was well-known at this point; the past month, Connor had had no choice but to participate in the Rights movement. That didn't mean the church gave him any less _bad feelings_. But it was the only logical and reasonable choice his scrambled mind could think of, so he ran and ran until it came into view. The lights were still on.

The few seconds it took to blast through the front doors caused Connor to think a bit harder about what he was doing. What if Markus was angry at him for not removing the LED too? What if he was angry for him expecting Markus to help him? He had tried to kill him twice already, who was to say Markus wasn't just "keeping his enemies close"?

"Hello," Connor panted, stumbled through the doors as everyone startled and spun around in their seats. It was the usual four; Markus, North, Simon and Josh sat around the main pews, looking lighthearted. And yet that lightheartedness was ruined by Connor's quite loud entrance, and they all stood to face him. Markus took a step towards him. "Hi. Sorry about this, would you mind..."

The last few words slipped out of his thoughts before they could even leave his lips. His legs crumbled beneath him, and the rest of his body followed.

"Connor!" Markus ran and barely managed to catch him before he completely fell against the floor, and held him up as he looked over his injuries. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

Connor's whole body was trembling. That wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to do that. "I- was walking home. Androids- angry at me."

"Androids did this to you?" Josh stepped closer, concerned. A wave of pain washed over Connor again, and he stiffened in Markus's arms. "Do you feel pain?"

All Androids felt a sort of pain to be able to somewhat avoid danger, but it was more of an intense discomfort. But for some reason, Amanda had thought giving Connor full range of pain was "important to his mission". Connor really wished she hadn't done that now, vision blurring with movement and a horrible, gouging pain tearing him apart. Why? Why'd he have to feel this pain? How could this possibly help-?

"Let's set him down." North suggested, her and Markus lifting him and placing him carefully on one of the pews they'd been sitting on. "Connor, you need to focus. Have you run diagnostics? Are there any new parts you need?"

"Ah-" Connor breathed out quickly, bending over. "Knife."

"Shit." Markus finally saw the weapon protruding from his back and glanced at the other three. "We need to take that out first."

A bit of panic overtook Connor as Markus reached for the knife, very much not wanting more pain. "Please don't!" He straightened somehow, wincing as his back stretched. "Please. It hurts."

Markus' usually stoic expression cracked, showing how worried he was. "We have to. It'll do more damage in than out."

"Hey," Simon got his attention while Markus walked around behind him, reaching for the knife. Connor looked to Simon and tried ignoring the feeling looming over him; this one had to be dread. He added another mental note to remind himself to write that in the pad. "Look at me. Distract yourself. Tell me about that dog."

"Sumo?" Connor barely noticed when Markus grabbed the hilt of the knife. "He's a Saint Bernard. He's very soft and his favorite food is- Ah!"

The knife was yanked out in one smooth motion, causing Connor to cry out and double over. Markus peered up at the others, seeing if any of them knew what to do next.

North, already looking fed up with them, rolled her eyes. "We need to cauterize it. Get off the clothes over the wound, I'll get a clean blade."

Connor begrudgingly allowed them to take off his jacket and shirt underneath. Fortunately, the only serious injury was the knife wound, and only his wrist and head hurt mildly. It was nothing really worrying.

"Alright," North walked back in, holding a lighter over a knife. "It's only the back, right?"

"Are you- going to-?" Connor scooted away from the knife. "Don't bring that near me." He squeaked.

"It's only for a second." North offered, but Connor still shook his head and looked like a wounded dog. "It has to be done. It'll help that stab wound."

"Please!" Connor tried stumbling to stand, but Markus brought him back to sit and held his shoulders.

"You wanted us to help you," Markus pointed out. "We're helping you."

Connor didn't speak again as North brought the knife just above the still bleeding gash. He clung to Markus as it was pressed down, only a few thoughts still clinging to the edges of his mind; What if Hank saw he wasn't home and got worried? And what if Hank thought Connor had fed Sumo so he doesn't feed Sumo so Sumo gets no food? What if he can't get home to Hank?

Fortunately, those thoughts kept him from screaming out as the heat melded two pieces of his back components together. Connor considered the situation as he waited out the pain, and nearly laughed at the irony of it. Stabbed by his own kind and healed by those who owed him nothing. Hank would certainly be laughing at him.

 _"You really can't follow directions, can you?"_ He'd say. _"I told you to come right home and not get into any fights."_

"Why're you laughing?" Simon raised his eyebrows and glanced at Josh, who smiled slightly. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"Yes." Connor breathed, letting Markus go and instead clinging to his own pant leg to squeeze the frustration of pain out of him. "I need to- to get home." And as soon as the knife left his back, he tried to stand. “Thank you for- helping me, but... I need to get home.”

“Hey, hey hey.” North handed off the knife to Josh and walked in front of Connor, stopping him in his path. “You were just attacked, Connor. You’re staying here until morning, and then you can go home.”

“What? No, I can’t do that.” Connor tried walking past her, but she sidestepped in front of him again. “Please let me past. The lieutenant will worry if I am not back after dark, he-”

“Don’t worry.” Simon crossed his arms and smiled. “I contacted him as soon as you stumbled in here.”

On cue, the doors to the church flew open and in stomped Hank, still in his uniform and looking horrified. “Where the idiot?”

Simon and Josh fell into giggles at that, turning slightly away and letting Markus address Hank. “Finally, you’re here. Everything’s fine now, we’ve gotten him fixed. Mostly.”

Hank caught sight of Connor and ran forward, bringing him into a hug. Connor shivered. His jacket was damp and dusted with snow. “Jesus fucking-” Hank pulled back and held Connor’s shoulders, grabbing his shirt and coat from Josh and hastily tugging it back onto Connor. “I can’t fucking _believe_ you, Connor. I told you to not talk to strangers, and not be rude, and to at least cover up that damn LED whenever you went out!” Hank shook his head and looked over Connor’s wrist, seeing the way he was holding it. Connor cried out and took it back, having had enough pain for the time being.

“I’m sorry.” Connor muttered. Suddenly his voice felt like it was fading away from him. “It was an accident.”

“Yes, but an accident _you could’ve avoided_.” Hank scolded, fixing his coat and huffing.

“I said I’m sorry. I don’t know what else you want me to say.” Connor scowled.

“Oh, don’t be a smartass.” Hank took his arm and tugged him towards the door. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow, I need to get him home. Thanks for fixing him up!”

Connor glanced back at the four before he was yanked away, and they all had the same expression. He couldn’t make it out. Somewhat happy, but there was another, warmer emotion beneath. It was something he wasn’t familiar with. He made a note to write that down and ask Hank.


End file.
